Think back to a time when you were walking down the street to the store. Do you remember the feel of the pavement underneath your feet? What did it smell like? Were your shoes that you were breaking in giving you a blister? How did you feel in that very moment? Was there anything about that particular moment that stood out to you? I recently have been documenting small moments in my life, whether they be big or small, so that I can relive the moment again in the future. Moments are fleeting with every breath you take, so make them last! Here are some examples of my moments frozen in time:
Greece:
The screeching halt at every stop moves everybody forward and back in their seats. The woman sitting in the corner has her head buried in her hands. She looks up briefly to catch a glimpse of the church to her left. She puts her first three fingers together and makes the sign of the cross. Her fingers first touch her slightly furrowed forehead. Then the middle of her chest between her breasts followed by her left and her right shoulder. Her velvet blue shirt wrinkled after a long day of work brings out her tired blue eyes. She clutches her bag as she gets ready to get off at the next stop. She struggles to get up and from her seat and pushes against the crowded aisle towards the exit. The bus aggressively stops and the woman holds on to a stranger’s soft blue cotton shirt for balance. The stranger looks down at her angrily and she immediately apologizes. He fills his breath in with the smell of the gasoline and sweat and lets it out through his mouth dramatically, dismissing her. As she walks off the bus her phone rings. She looks down at her phone and suddenly her tired eyes are no longer tired. Her blue eyes sparkle like the Mediterranean Sea on a sunny day. She smiles and her stained teeth stretch out across her face. She answers the phone, “Giassou!”
Italy:
Walking into the church is like walking into a dream. Paintings cover every inch of space around me. An explosion of color appears before my eyes and I am in awe. I am hypnotized by the beauty that wraps around the interior of the entire church. Every portion of the art seamlessly blends into the next yet each section tells a different story. I take a couple of steps forward and a tale of angels and victory fill my imagination. A few more feet forward and a story molds into one of love, poverty and hopelessness. The paintings fool my eyes and just for a second I believe that I am outside among angels and heroes. I walk past the Virgin Mary and nod respectfully. I look up and see bright white clouds pop against the blue skies. It is a beautiful day. Suddenly, the smell of incense hits my nose and I am shot back to reality. The dream that these paintings had created within me becomes still. The wings of angels are no longer flutter above me. The fights come to a standstill. The dying men are no longer struggling, they are at peace. I look down the aisle toward the pews and see a woman murmuring to herself, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
I challenge you to document a small moment of your life every day! It’s therapeutic and helps you realize things about yourself that you never knew before!
